Improvement i



J. KEITH. GLAMES FOR PAPER-CUTTINGMACHINES..

No. 193,256.V Patented J-u1y17,1,s7.7.

NA PETERS, PMOTo-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHlNGTON D C .term KEITH, I.or ,GREENE-inni), -MAssAoHus-E'rms.

l.Spetifieaticni formngpart of :Letters Patent'No. 193.256dated July I1'7, 418775 applicationled June 23, 1877. l

10 all vwhom rit 'may vco'lwern K Be it known that I, JOHN KnitrmofrGreenfield, in the Icountylof Franklin, and-CommonwealthyofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Machine for;

thereof,reference being had to the accompa- 5' nying drawings, making a part of this specig iication, in which- Figure l is va perspective view of my inachine as in use. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, y showing the upper arm of clamp in elevation. Fig. 3 is a transverse .section, `showing the form of the ways, the incline planes, bedplates, &c. Fig. 4 is a detail view, showing, in elevation, the form which rests upon a pack of paper to be cut. Fig. 5 shows a modification of the device for lifting the bed-plate free of the table. y

Similar letters of reference denote like parts in all the drawings or figures.

In the manufacture of paper to prepare -it for market and for use, it is necessary to cut or trim the edges, especially of nat-cap, folio, and other fine paper, exactly true and square. This is usually done by placing a bundle of otherwise finished paper, of one or more reams, having its rough edges placed as nearly as possible square, on a bed, and there secured by a clamp holding it by means of a form of the exact size of the paper when cut, which 'acts as a guide for the cutting, and pushed up on a table to the knife, which, by proper machinery, is made to descend and to trim ofic one edge squarely. The bundle of paper then being withdrawn, is unclamped and turned upon the bed. The trimmed or square edge being placed back against straight edged guides, is again clamped, and the bed holding it again pushed forward, three times successively, till each of the other edges is trimmed. The bed holding the paper is independent of the table, and much time and hard labor are involved in pushing, withdrawing, and rearranging the bundle. It is also very diiiicult to readjust the paper once trimmed, so as to secure perfectly-trimmedY edges on the opposite side. I propose by my invention to save one-half the time, and almostentirely'to avoid the labor of 1this process.

A Vis the table on which 1the bed-piece holding the paper to be out rests. 'It issupporlted f upper sides to receive the lower arm'b of. the

clamp E, which is rabbeted on leach side to make a slidingjoint sufficiently open Ato allow the clamp to be raised or lowered, as hereinafter described. Across the space between these ways are ltwo bars, grgl, one nearthe rear end and one about one-fourth of the distance from the front end, the object of which is to receive the inclines Gr. on the under side of the lower arm of the clamp, as hereinafter described. These bars also serve to strengthen the slotted table.

E is the clamp for holding the paper to be trimmed firmly on the bed-plate B, having in the end of its upper arm a screw, F, for that purpose. The lower arm of this clamp runs in and through the slot in the table, and is rabbeted to fit in the ways a a on the under side 'of the table. 0n the under side of this arm of the clamp are fastened two inclines, G

G, one at each end, the sharp end of the inclines pointing toward the rear end of the table. These inclines are so placed as to run on the bars g g, across the ways, so that when the clamp is pushed forward to its full extent, the inclines are inoperative. The clamp rests a little lower than the line of the table, allowing the bed holding the paper to rest firmly on the table, supported by the studs d in the bottom, to receive the force of the cut of th'e knife, but as soon as the knife has descended, the clamp holding the trimmed paper is withdrawn, and the inclines, rising on the bars across the ways, raise the clamp, both ends simultaneously, up to the line of the table, and allow the bed-plate holding the paper to be readily turned on the stud or pivot on the under side, for another cut. A stop suitably placed prevents the clamp from being entirely withdrawn. These ways and inclines can be made in the edge of the table on each side of the slot.

The same purpose-that of raising and lowering the clamp, which is the important element iu my invention-may be accomplished by the use of cams, or of short leverssecured ,to the under side of the table, and acting on the lower arm of the clamp.

B is the bed-plate, upon which the bundle of paper is laid, and which has on its under side a number of studs or feet, d, on which it can rest rmly on the table while the paper is lbeing cut upon it. Ou the center of the under side is a stud or pivot, a, which rests in a socket, f, on 'the end of the under arm of the clamp by which it is supported, and on which the bundle of paper is readily turned, the pivot being just long enough to clear the bedplate from the table, when,'the clamp being withdrawn, the inclir es raise it to the level of the table, or to allow the bed-plate to rest on the table, when the clamp is pushed forward past the action of the inclines, or other device for raising or lowering the clamp.

D is the form, which is placed on the bundle of paper to secure the sheets in a fixed position, and is lche exact size of the paper when trimmed. It has on the center of its upper side a socket, e, in which ts the end of the screw F, which runs in the clamp. It has two upstanding sides, D', which, usually protected by metal slips, serve as guides to bring the package square to the knife.

The manner of using my improvement is simply this A package of paper is placed squarely on the bed-piece; Vthe form is Aplaced on top and clamped down by the screws; the clamp, thus having the paper secured, is thrust forward; the knife descends through the package, which is withdrawn, rising a little by the inclines free of the table is turned a quarter round, pushed. forward, is again trimmed, and so on till the four sides are finished, when the clamp is loosened, and the package removed.

I claim- 1. The combination of the arm E, provided with inclines G Gr, or their equivalent, with the slotted table A, having guideways a a', A

and cross-bars g g, as set forth.

2. The slotted table A, provided with guide- Ways al a. and cross-bars g g', substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

3. The U-shaped clamp-arm E, provided with screw F and inclines G G, and adapted to operate in connection with a'slotted table having guideways, as specified.

4. The clamping mechanism herein described, consisting of the slotted table A, pivoted bed-plate B, form D D', and arm E havingl screw F, and inclines G G, for the purpose specified.

Witness my hand this 7th day of June, 187 7 JOHN KEITH.

Witnesses:

JAMES S. GRINNELL, C. M. BURNETT, 

